To Be Takei - B

Unrated, 93 minutes

Fascinating, fun look at the life of actor George Takei in "To Be Takei"

George Takei

Most know George Takei from his role as Sulu on the original "Star Trek," but he now wears many hats, as entertainer, actor, humorist, writer and activist, and the entertaining new documentary "To Be Takei" explores all those different roles. Over his seven decades,actor and activist Takei has boldly journeyed from a WWII internment camp, to the helm of the starship Enterprise, to the daily news feeds of five million Facebook fans. Join Takei on his playful and profound trek for life, liberty, and love. Directed by Jennifer Kroot, the documentary is loose, fun and fascinating as traces Takei's early life in California, the impact of World War II on his family, his start as an actor and his coming out as a gay man. The focus on Takei's early family life, his distinctive voice and his career are, unsurprisingly, the most interesting part of the documentary, particularly when his pals such as William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Nichelle Nichols and even Howard Stern get to weigh in on Takei's life and career. It's also nice learning more about his husband Brad, though those scenes are not as interesting as seeing Takei interact with his large "Star Trek" fan base. The documentary "To Be Takei" doesn't have a lot of purpose or a clear message, except to show how George Takei has evolved into just more than actor, and that's just fine with us.

Wes's Grade: B